Wow, this is a problem! So Bob's solution is to own and install every single version of InDesign ever released. Are all of those previous versions available for purchase should one choose to take his advice?

It's not "Bob's" solution, it's THE solution. There are no other viable options. But you only need to own the versions you will need to work with, as long as you don't goof up and save a file in a later version by accident. If you collaborate with CS3 users, but not CS4, there's every reason to have CS3, but none to have CS4 other than to pass .idml files through to .inx, and that's a really bad workflow.

OK, out of curiosity, if I were to purchase all of the versions you have, how much would I have to invest? I am a freelance graphic designer and a single mom. This probably would not be feasible for me. I could probably purchase CS3 which is the one my primary client uses but where would I find that?

At this point it would be nearly impossible to find a copy of CS3, but there are a few companies that seem to buy up unused old software and resell it. Be cautious, though about who you deal with and what you buy -- education licenses cannot be transferred, nor can an upgrade without including all versions in the chain.

Upgrades of InDesign, if you already have a license, are around $200, I think, in the US, for a standalone version, but if you have a suite package you have to upgrade the entire suite which runs in the 700 - 1200 range, if memory serves, depending on which package you have. It might be more practical for your clients to upgrade than for you to downgrade, especially if you are willing to pitch in some of the money.

The point to all of this is really not that anyone should be trying to find old versions, but that if you are in business and expect to work with lots of clients with different software, you need to have what they have. Going forward this is not a problem -- you budget for it. Upgrades are pretty predictable for Adobe products. Service bureaus need to be up-to-date early to serve new customers, but designers can hang back a bit. It's just not been smart to skip versions if you have customers who are upgrading without you, and you don't want to uninstall old versions that your customers still use, or work for those customers in newer versions than the ones they have.

It's definitely a problem for new users who haven't had a chance to buy old versions. I wish Adobe would sell downgrade licenses as well as upgrade, but there's not the same incentive. Going forward it looks like .idml may be more version-compatible than the old .inx format, which will make some users happy if there is no longer a need to have intermediate exports to to skip versions (.idml exported from CS5.5 can be opened in CS5.5, CS5 and CS4, while .indd files from CS5.5 cannot be opened in anything earlier), but that doesn't mean it's a replacement for updating regularly. Each version adds features, and if you've used those new features they get lost when you move to a previous version that does not support them. That can have a major impact on a file.

The bottom line is that no business can really survive without re-investing in itself. It's not just those of us who use Adobe products.

Good thought for a new purchase, perhaps, but not a lot of help, I think, for anyone who already has a license, and I bet at some point the volume license people will get tired of selling onesies with a downgrade and set a minimum number of seats.

Seriously, the volume license gambit is a good idea. Too bad Adobe doesn't make it obvious to anyone. For the one-user studio the normal channel is to buy a pacaked version form a reseller or a download from the Adobe store. Do you know a way to convert the license?

Let's say, rather, that "licensing for such a service appears to be cost-prohibitive at this time." I was avoiding replying on the thread where it came up in the hopes that the situation or circumstances changed...

Here is my situation: After several years of not working as a graphic designer (I was a full-time mom) I am now working again. I purchased CS5 - just before the release of CS5.5... another story. My primary client is a non-profit organization and they use CS3. I didn't know before purchasing that I would have problems transferring files back and forth. Up to this point we have had to send pdf files for proofing. However, every time there is a comma or period that needs to be added they have to contact me rather than do it themselves. It would be very presumptuous of me to ask my non-profit client to upgrade their software. They too, are getting frustrated with the hassle of not being able to share files.

Well, that is the classic dilemma, unfortunately, but there's nothing anyone here can do to help you. Do they have a suite license or standalone?

Did you buy your copy of CS5 during the 30 day window before the 5.5 announcement? You may be eligible for a free upgrade, and if the client has a standalone, you could both then be working in 5.5 for only a few hundred dollars. If you consider the cost of the time to do the PDF transfers and have you make corrections, this might turn out to be the cheapest option. Upgrade eligibility after new product announcement

Adobe used to actually give away the software to non-profits that met certain qualifications, but I believe you are correct that things have changed. My understanding is that now non-pofits get the same discount, through the same volume licensing program, as educational institutions. I can't find a link that provided more info at the moment, but a phone call to Adobe would probably be productive...

Adobe used to actually give away the software to non-profits that met certain qualifications, but I believe you are correct that things have changed. My understanding is that now non-pofits get the same discount, through the same volume licensing program, as educational institutions. I can't find a link that provided more info at the moment, but a phone call to Adobe would probably be productive...

I work for a nonprofit organization, and I'm happy to confirm that we buy volume-license Adobe products at educational-license rates. We buy, um, whatever they call software-assurance in Adobe-land; guaranteed free upgrades for two years on both platforms. The only thing we can't do with these things is downgrade; we only have retail media and the license-downgrade trick apparently only works if you already have volume media for the downgrade licenses you want.

(Which, by the way, really hurts when most of your clients are nonprofits or governmental; more than half our volume is in CS2 or CS3, and it's a huge bottleneck to only have the single commercial license for CS3. I got on the volume-license upgrade-train the moment I became aware of it, but only one version too late.)

I don't know if you can obtain nonprofit volume licenses directly from Adobe, but most of the generic nonprofit software resellers stock Adobe software at this point.

(Also: I also still have the very nice letter they sent us when they gave us free licenses for PageMaker 6.5.)

There are many many indesign users caught in this trap. We can't demand our clients upgrade their software, even if we were willing to pay for them to do it. I am in this boat. In my opionion, Adobe could easily solve the problem by keeping lower versions of Indesign available for purchase even after they release an upgrade. I would gladly purchase inDesign CS4 in order to make the workflow easier between me and my largest client. (it's not an everyday issue, but it occures too frequently to rely on the forum for one-off help.) Problem is, that Adobe no longer offers a way to purchase CS4, even for their loyal customers who have upgraded and I refuse to buy a copy off ebay (too many disreputable sellers) for 5 times the price that Adobe charged for it new. I think this is a HUGE customer service failing on Adobe's part.

While I agree that users ought to be able to purchase old versions if they also buy the current one, I'm wondering how you can characterize someone who hasn't upgraded each time a new version is released as being a "loyal customer."

Sounds like you've been living under a rock. If you need to collaborate with other users, all of you should be using the same version, which probably means someone (or maybe everyone, since the current version is CS5.5, with CS6 coming in the not-too-distant future) will need to upgrade, or you all need to have the same older versions installed. Upgrades to maintain compatibility with an advancing technology (not to mention getting the new features that will improve productivity or even allow you to do waht was previously impossible) are, as has been mentioned, an ordinary business expense. If you cannot budget for these expenses you probably need to look at whether you are really doing the right thing.

Perhaps the solution is to vote with your wallet. The gung-ho buy-every-update crowd is made up of professionals who appear to expect one another and the people they work with to have the latest and greatest version of InDesign. More power to them. However, my guess is that there is a significant group of others who are not in that category and who rely upon Adobe to be reactive and responsive to their needs. If Adobe insists on making the new version of a product incompatible with the last version, then perhaps the solution is to move to a product that will support prior versions and leave InDesign to the group of people who can justify buying every version. Based on Adobe's apparent lack of concern about the issue, I feel certain they believe that they can survive fine on just that group of professionals, and that they don't need the small people and companies who struggle just to get together enough money to buy one version, let alone version after version. If that's the direction Adobe wants to go, I say more power to them. By the way, what's the URL for Quark's Web site? Never mind ... I found it.

Adobe Creative Suite software is for profession use as is QuarkXpress which you will find has the exact same limitation. In fact, it’s more limited since it can only go back one version and with IDML InDesign can now go back two versions. I suspect that with CS6 IDML will continue to backsave to CS4.

For hobbiests or those with lesser needs there are plenty of low priced or open source alternatives.

Perhaps the solution is to vote with your wallet. The gung-ho buy-every-update crowd is made up of professionals who appear to expect one another and the people they work with to have the latest and greatest version of InDesign.

Nobody is forcing you to upgrade. If you want to stay on the version you have, no problem, but you can't expect the rest of the world to stay there with you. That's not a problem if you aren't trying to work with native files in collaboration with other users. I do a lot of work with one printer locally. They made the decision to freeze at CS3 becasue it didn't make economic sense for them to buy new Macs and the expensive upgrades to both Adobe products and more importanly their RIPs which would be required to support CS4 or CS5 native files. I send them PDFs from newer versions. No issues. I also do some work for them in CS3 for their other clients when they need a file that they can update in-house later.

I can do the conversion, but you need to understand that it will probably not be a perfect match. There are differnces in the text engins that will cause some reflow, and if the file uses any features that did not exisit in CS3 they will be lost.

Hi I am in need of having a file converted to CS3 is there anyone who can help me out asap? I forgot my client is CS3 and I am CS5. I would appreciate anyones help! I only have one file that needs opened and saved back. I have already made the .idml file.

So, I've just come across this post and I identify with the frustration of many. As a single graphic designer working from my home who started with Quark v3, I eventually switched to InDesign because I was ticked with the ridiculous prices Quark used to charge to upgrade. I use Freehand which still works great for me to build logo files. Of course, FH will die with my next OS upgrade to 10.7. Thanks to Adobe for buying out the competition!

So, now I have to upgrade 3 apps from CS4 to CS6 by the end of December. Plus buy the User Manuals. Total of $700+. I wouldn't use Creative Suite enough to go that route. Creative Cloud is overkill for me in several ways. I hate the option whereby I MUST upgrade by Dec 31 or buy full versions. That's pure BS!

"Your focus becomes your reality"... I guess by the time you have posted here 37,000 you've helped a lot of people, but only have one way of looking at it... all or nothing. I bet there are many others who are in the same quandry as me with a lack of options forced on us by Adobe.

I think Peter is simply being realistic about Adobe's "reality." Adobe has made it an all or nothing proposition.

RE the manuals. Do you really need physical manuals? As far as I know, you can download the PDFs. However, I find that the help here is usually more pertinent to a user's particular issue than combing through a manual. Usually a search here pulls up exactly what I have needed. If this works for you, save a buck or two and skip the manuals.

I feel your (financial) pain. I really wanted to put off the CS6 ID and Illy upgrades for a while longer. Budgeting for upgrades is to me like setting aside money for taxes. I don't like it, but I have to do it. Over the past 6 months, I have had to upgrade a dozen or so software titles. Without saving up for it, I doubt I could have done so.

I only use, and will likely only use, ID and AI. It's break even at that point re the perpetual versus cloud licensing (the $30 cloud price). Budgeting for me can be as simple as skipping Starbucks several times a month and putting the money into a jar--and if I must, spare change. Same would apply to paying for the cloud service...but I am opposed to the cloud.

But...more and more people are going to Creative Cloud and that means that come April or May, those people will be running CS7 and you'll be behind, again. Remember, upgrades now come at you every 12 months.

Just to be clear, I don't care one way or the other but I think it's important for people to understand the ramifications of not staying current. Coming here and whining about Adobe being greedy is not going to help them and it's not going to change anything. Adobe is business to make money and the more they make the more they can invest in better software.

I tend to agree with Mike on this (though for those who can make good use of it, I continue to believe the cloud is a real bargain). I'm a print guy, and there hasn't been much in ID since CS5 that I felt was worth the price of the upgrade if I consider only the type of work I'm doing now. Perhaps I'll get into the epub thing at some point, but I'm not motivated in that direction at the moment. Mostly I keep current just to be able to answer questions here and in case I need to collaborate with users on the latest versions (it's more common I need to work in an older version, but it does happen).

Likewise, if I wasn't a suite owner and getting them all anyway (a decision I made for economic reasons when the first suite was released and I was much busier), I probably wouldn't bother to upgrade Photoshop or Illustrator, or probably even Acrobat. That said, I see the day coming when it will be cloud or nothing, and I don't think it's far over the horizon. We'll be able to use our antique applications for as long as the hardware to run them survives, but if we really want to call ourselves pros I think we need to look at software as an ongoing business overhead expense and build that cost into our pricing structures.

No, it means that sometime within the next year I will upgrade again simply because I do not desire to be forced to pay full retail later on should I purposefully or accidentally skip an upgrade.

If I didn't ever have to return native files, I would stay at CS5.5. Pretty dang stable here. I have no past/current customers using CS6. My decision to upgrade at this time was simply having the spare cash else I would have put it off for a while longer.

Once CS7 is out, and if I were to have a client using it, I would use their deposit to upgrade too. But should I not get a client using CS7--and from past history, none of them are using the latest/greatest anyway--then I will upgrade sometime after its release and once I have spare cash or at least before CS8 (or if Adobe pulls the .5 thing again).

I hope you didn't take anything I wrote as whining. Didn't mean for it to come across that way. Adobe is perfectly free to do anything they want in my eyes. I may or may not like it, but it is their choice.

I did have a chuckle about your last sentance. Any enhancement from a greater revenue stream mostly goes to the stock holders, as well as an attempt to even out their quarterly reports for Wall Street. Judging from the past several versions, they are spending no more effort on programming from one version to the next. With the exception lately being throwing resources (time and money) into a cloud platform <g>.